Monsignor Paul Desfarges, Augustine’s successor as bishop of Constantine-Hippo, said the basilica and the hill on which it stands, overlooking the ruins of the Roman city of Hippo, are symbols of human brotherhood.

“We all know that St. Augustine is dear to the pope’s heart,” Desfarges said.

Augustine served as bishop of Hippo from 395 to 430, a time when the Roman empire was starting to fall apart. His book, “The City of God,” described the church as a spiritual entity distinct from Rome and its empire.

The basilica, which is about 100 years old, is in what is now the city of Annaba, Algeria. Its architecture includes Roman-Byzantine details and Moorish ones.